The Ghost streets of Walled City Lahore

Eighty percent, of families living in walled city Lahore for generations has left the place and settled in other areas of city. I always saddened with this huge migration. 

My grandfather was born in adjacent streets of wazir khan mosque some ninety years back, he got matriculation from shera wala gate school. I have inborn love for this area. All of his brothers and sister left the place decades ago.

In Childhood, whenever my Nani (grandmother) has to do shopping for marriages, she used to bring me along to walled city. Rang mahal, Kahsmiri bazaar, Dabbi bazaar and suha bazaar, i have earliest memories of these places. There was Dahi bhala shop near footsteps of Sunheri mosque, which still exists. My nani who used to wear burqa at that time, we both sit on steps of shunheri mosque and enjoy Dahi Bhala of that spot. i also remmebered my nani used to ask that shopkeeper Betcha (Child) ki plate should be less spicy. 

Also one of my best friend and his parents used to live near Azam cloth market. I, was visiting his place from early 2000. The area never sleep and always crowded with peoples around. They left the place some ten year back. His family is very hospitable,we have great memories at his place.

Recently, i got the chance to visit  walled city o again at  evening time; surprised to see the street, in which my friend used to live was totally surrounded with silence; when, i further went inside the street noticed that every house was locked from outside. We also did not see any single person in his street.

Later my friend told me that all old resident of the street have left long ago, some houses were converted in godowns and some could not able to  sell as the streets widths is very narrow and not suitable for godowns.

Efforts have done to save the outlook of streets, elevation of houses, wooden balconies and  door's by walled city authorities Lahore. But the people who were the real custodian of  the culture and tradition of this place has left the area and living in other party city long ago. The hub of culture  destroyed the historical values are only stories now which will be also buried soon under the new turned godown town. 

A short conversation

This old man selling sweet Potatoes near my office. He came to Lahore from a small village in suburb of Okara. His one hand fingers was cut in accident also his one leg was broken. He earned a lot of respect from me in few minutes for his believe in hard working. His village is located near east bank of river Ravi. I asked him about sayed wala that is present on west bank . Where a tall unknown Sikh smadhi present. He told me about Deensnath mela . A man who put sword in ground and nobody could bring it out and locals celebrate a mela in this regard every year. #storiesofpakistan #villages

Rattan Singh's Well Anarkali

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This dilapidated building, located in Anarkali Bazaar just outside the northeastern edge of the Punjab University grounds, once housed a well that provided clean drinking water to the inhabitants of the area. The spacious well was commissioned by Rattan Singh, a Wine and General Merchant based in Anarkali. His name was inscribed in a marble slab, inserted in one of the walls of the building but can no longer be found. Today, the well is no more and the building is used for the purposes of a clothing shop.

Rattan Singh also built a beautiful drinking fountain near the General Post Office but no trace of it can be found.

The Tale of Mandir Chota Lal in Anarkali Bazaar

(All pictures and writeup text used in this blog, are author's property, kindly respect copyrights)

18-08-2018 (Date of Visit)

In Anarkali bazaar stands a small temple named 'Mandir Chota Lal', its primary entrance discreetly concealed behind front shops. Before the Indo-Pak partition, numerous Hindu merchants conducted their businesses in Anarkali. While the temple remains non-operational throughout the year, it ceremoniously opens its doors during the Diwali festival to welcome worshippers for prayers.

Various historical references contain details about this temple.

This magnificent temple was once Anarkali's remarkable and revered structures. Its inception was attributed to Lala Durga Parsad, also known as Lala Chota Lal, who dedicated a considerable fortune to its construction. Before this temple's existence, the site was occupied by another shrine known as 'Bohardas ka Shivala'. Bohardas, a devout individual residing at this location, cultivated a banyan tree that eventually led to the site being renowned as Bohardas wala Shivala. While his original name might have differed, he was universally known as Bohardas.

During the British Colonial era in Lahore, the land of Bohardas Shivala was allotted to Lala Chota Lala, a moneylender by profession. He erected shops for his business and erected a new temple on the grounds of the former Bohardas Shivala. The temple boasted a spacious courtyard and a well was dug to serve the convenience of travelers and the local populace. The flooring was adorned with exquisite tiles, and there stood splendid structures in proximity to the temple. The majority of columns were crafted from red marble. Access to the temple was facilitated through two gateways, one on the west and the other on the east, housing statues depicting various revered Hindu deities.

The temple structure was octagonal and constructed using precious stones for its interior and exterior. Adorning its octagonal walls was a dome featuring intricate floral patterns adorning its surface and apex. Atop the dome rested a crowning ornament, referred to as the “Amalaki”, plated in gold. The temple priest, Suraj Bahan Gorh Barhman, received a salary from Chota Lal. Additionally, there were eight shops in front of the temple, the rent from which was dedicated to the upkeep of the temple.